1964 Kennedy Half Dollar

I recently looked online for 1964 Kennedy half dollars and found values from $12 to $27,000.
How can a novice have confidence in a coin value assessment when the coins in uncirculated condition look pretty much alike?

Jay, it is normal for coin values to grow exponentially as you move up the uncirculated grade chart. Mint State coins fetch a higher premium due to their purity and rarity. To the naked eye (and especially from photos on the internet) it is very difficult to see a difference between a MS60 and MS65 coin. That said, $27,000 for a 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar is likely an error as it seems ridiculous. Values should be between $13 and a few hundred depending on grade.

OK, the $27,000 for a 1964 Kennedy half dollar is ridiculous. So, even if the range is $13 to a few hundred dollars depending on the MS the variance is still pretty large if we’re talking about 100 of these coins. Where can I go to get an honest assessment? I guess I have trust issues.

Jay, we agree that the large variance in prices in the higher grades can be surprising. Highly graded uncirculated pieces have a special "collector value" that causes them to go way beyond simple collection pieces or investment hedges. They are more akin to one-of-a-kind works of art because of their rarity.

What you are willing to pay depends on your goal. If you are merely collecting coins you would be better off shooting for a slabbed (certified) coin in the low MS range - say MS60 to MS63. As far as the trust issue goes, these slabbed coins guarantee that you are actually buying a 90% silver 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar. We would never suggest buying an uncertified mint state specimen from anyone/anywhere. Your trust issues would also be alleviated by visiting a trusted local coin dealer since most all of them are run by licensed coin experts. Avoid pawn shops.

On the other hand, if your goal is to invest in some silver (you mentioned 100 coins), you might be better off buying a bag of "junk silver" Kennedy Half Dollars. They will all be circulated and unslabbed but will save you lots of money on premiums. A bag of 100 1964 Kennedy Half Dollars will probably start around $1,200, or $12 per coin, with today's silver price of $32.35. Just keep in mind that circulated junk silver loses that "collector premium". You're basically getting a bag of pocket change, but remember that it is always worth at least its melt value in silver (shown live at the top of this article).

It really depends on what your goal is between the two we mentioned here. Have a look at our Library for some informational articles about coin dealers, grading, collecting, and other info.

No my goal is to liquidate at a fair price. I’m just not sure who to trust to obtain that goal.

Oh, you're looking to sell. Sorry. Without knowing in more detail what you are holding it's hard to give an estimate, but you could probably get $11.00 or $11.50 per coin of circulated 1964 Kennedy Half Dollars. If you have uncirculated specimens, they should be slabbed already and, if not, they should be appraised and slabbed to ensure you get the best payout for them. Local reputable coin dealers are your best bet to get appraisals. They might offer to buy the lot from you unslabbed if they are indeed uncirculated. If it's circulated junk silver they will also buy it but don't expect to get much over melt value.

Once again: avoid pawn shops!

Try to visit three coin shops to have your coins looked at and see what they offer, keeping in mind that you should be shooting for $11.00 as an absolute minimum and $11.50 as a decent offer (current melt value is $11.71 as of this writing with $32.38 silver spot price). That's for circulated coins. If your coins are indeed uncirculated, see what they offer as far as appraisal/grading/liquidating. Seek out coin dealers with a PCGS and/or NGC license for best results and trustworthiness. Contacting your area coin club could also shed light on a reputable local coin dealer.

OK, I will look to see if there is a local Coin Club and for dealers with the PCGS or NGC designations.

Now I have what I understand to be uncirculated coins as well as circulated coins. For now we will just discuss the Kennedy Half Dollars. The ones that I believe to be uncirculated were purchased in paper rolls directly from a bank in several years in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, etc. Most are still in the paper rolls. They are in a safe deposit box so I’m going from memory.

The coins are not slabbed nor appraised which I guess is something I need to do, but I have some hesitancy about transporting them and leaving them in the custody of a stranger.

Thank you so much for your input.

So most of them are in rolls. That's good. Do not open the rolls. Take them straight to a dealer for a sale. eBay is also a possibility for those. You could probably ask for around $13 per coin on those sealed rolls on Ebay (whether you get a quick sale at that price or not no-one can say). Slabbing those coins would probably be a waste if you just want to sell them.

Don't worry about having to leave anything with a local coin dealer because you should be able to get an offer on the spot. You only need to leave your coins at a coin dealer if you are having them graded. Ask if they prefer appointments for appraisals before walking in. They will likely make you an offer immediately. Think of it like buying a car: visit the dealers in your area and accept the best offer.

Most coin shops are good, honest people, and the coin collecting community is a tight and friendly one, and transactions are often in the tens of thousands of dollars when gold coins are bought and sold. There are exceptions, of course, but with a reputable coin dealer you shouldn't have any problems. Good luck selling your stash!